THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF BONE BROTH
Bone broth has been used for thousands of years by many cultures as an integral part of the diet. Bone broth is made by simmering the bones of an animal for between 24 and 48 hours. This allows for the many nutrients found in bone to leach out into the water to form a broth which is them consumed as a soup. Often vegetables and seasonings are added for flavor and additional nutrients. When consuming bone broth, it’s been found that the nutrients in this broth are easily assimilated by the body and thus provides readily available nutrition.
Why is bone broth such a healthy food? Bones of animals contain some very important nutrients for our health. Bones contain a plentiful amount of a protein called collagen which is the primary structural protein in the body. This protein virtually holds our bodies together. Collagen is found in bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and both the external and internal skin. Its primary purpose is to give structure and provide strength to these tissues.
Collagen is a primary component of connective tissue. It facilitates formation of the protective lining of the gastrointestinal tract and thus keeps undigested food molecules from seeping into the blood stream, a condition known as “leaky gut syndrome.” Undigested food molecules in the blood stream can cause allergic reactions.
There are around sixteen types of collagens found in the body of which the most prevalent are collagen types 1, 2 and 3. Bone from bovine animals is a rich source of collagen types 1 and 3 while bone from poultry is a good source of collagen type 2. Collagen type 1 is the strongest of the collagens and is used by the body to form bone. Collagen type 3 is used by the body in the formation of both our external skin and the skin of our internal organs. Collagen type 2 is the primary collagen found in our joint tissue and is an important component of the tissues that make up our intestinal tract.
There are some 19 different amino acids in bone broth that make up collagen protein. While these amino acids are necessary to the makeup of collagen, they also play a vital role in many other body functions. For example, the amino acid proline, while important to the makeup of collagen, also plays an important role in preventing heart disease. A condition called arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) developers as a result of the buildup of fat in the arteries. Proline enables the walls of the arteries to release arterial fat into the bloodstream and thus decrease the size of arterial blockage. This results in decreased blood pressure and guards against heart attacks.
Another amino acid found in bone broth is glutamine. This amino acid makes up over 60 % of skeletal muscle tissue. Glutamine is the primary carrier of nitrogen into muscle cells. This amino acid is used up by muscle tissue through exercise and must be replaced on a regular basis to maintain muscle strength and stamina.
The amino acid glycine, which makes up about a third of the collagen protein found in bone broth, is also important to the proper function of the central nervous system and the digestive system. The body uses it to make heme which is a key component of hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying element in the blood. This amino acid is responsible for regulating the concentration of bile acids and thus plays a role in the breakdown of fat.
The amino acid arginine is present in bone broth and is important to the body’s production of nitric oxide which promotes vasodilation. Vasodilation is the widening of the arteries which allows for better blood flow and thus protects against strokes and heart attacks.
Another important set of nutrients found in bone broth are glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid. These nutrients are critical to the development and maintenance of cartilage tissue in our joints. It is the lack of sufficient and healthy cartilage tissue that often results in joint pain commonly referred to as arthritis. Using bone broth on a regular basis can provide the nutrients necessary to rebuild and maintain cartilage and thus facilitate relief from joint pain and allow for greater dexterity and mobility.
While bone broth has been a dietary staple in many cultures for thousands of years, it has fallen out of use in recent years as most people simply don’t have the time to make it on a regular basis. Recently, a company named Ancient Nutrition introduced several dehydrated bone broth products into the market place. These products provide an assortment of collagens depending on what sources are used to make the broth. Chicken bones, beef bones, fish bones and egg shells are used in various combinations to make these products.
These products also contain glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid. These are nutritional elements very important to the growth and repair of joint tissue in the body. Bone broth also has an abundance of minerals and a variety of other nutrients necessary to maintain the health of the body. These products are available in several canister sizes and in a variety of flavors.
We carry BONE BROTH COLLAGEN PROTEIN at Milk ‘N Honey